"Blyton, Enid - The Five Find-Outers 15 - The Mystery of Banshee Towers 1.1" - читать интересную книгу автора (Blyton Enid)

"Listen - someone's coming," said Fatty, his ears even sharper just then than those of the dogs. "I heard a car draw up outside our front gate, I'm sure."

"You couldn't have, Fatty!" said Larry. "It's right down the garden, and..."

But just then the two dogs set up such a loud barking that nobody could hear anyone speak. "SHUT UP!" shouted Fatty, making a dive for Buster. "Do you want me to be had up for creating a noisy disturbance, Buster! Ern, get hold of Bingo. They both seem to have gone mad."

A loud knock came at the shed door, and the two dogs almost barked the place down. Then the door opened and there stood Chief Inspector Jenks, tall, burly, keen-eyed - but not smiling as he usually was. He looked round the little company.

"Oh - so _all_ the Find-Outers are here, are they?" he said, and smiled. Fatty was most relieved to see that smile. Perhaps the Inspector wasn't going to be too hard on him after all.

"Well, little Bets, so you're here too, are you?" said the Chief Inspector and patted her head. She caught hold of his hand.

"Inspector Jenks, you won't take Fatty to prison, will you?" she said, in a suddenly choky voice. "He's just been working hard on a mystery, that's all. We all have."

"Cheer up, Bets - I couldn't take him if I tried!" said the Chief. "He's not old enough. Still a kid, you know - bit too big for his boots sometimes, that's all. Well, now, how's everybody? My word, here's a new dog. What's your name, sir?"

"Bingo," said Ern, with such pride in his voice that everyone smiled. "He's _my_ dog, sir. My very own. You should see him play with Buster here - they're a pair, they are."

"He's a nice dog. Ern," said the Chief, and patted Bingo, who immediately rolled over on his back in delight. "I gather your uncle doesn't like him. I can't imagine why."

"Nor can I, sir," said Ern. "Sir, you won't let my uncle take him away from me, or anything like that, will you?"

"We'll talk about you and Bingo later," said the Inspector, "and see what can be done. It's Frederick here I'm worried about. This man, Engler, Frederick, certainly has a sound complaint against you. What do you know about him?"

"I know a great deal," said Fatty. "And very surprising it is, sir. The others don't yet know all the things I know - _they'll_ be surprised too! I rather think you'll turn your attention to Mr Engler, sir - and one or two others - when I've finished telling my story!"

Inspector Jenks looked most surprised. He took out his pipe and began to light it, puffing out smoke. Then he sat back comfortably in his chair.

"Tell your story, Fatty," he said, in a much more friendly tone. "I'm ready - no embroidery, mind - just the plain facts - ones that you are absolutely sure of!"

Buster sat up straight, and Bingo sat up straight too. They were going to listen with as much interest as everyone else,

"Well, sir," said Fatty, in a very serious voice. "It all started with the disappearance of a tiny boat in a big picture..."



17 - FATTY SOLVES THE MYSTERY!


There was dead silence in the shed, as Fatty told the story of the Banshee Mystery.

"It all started with the disappearance of a tiny boat in a big picture in the Picture-Gallery at Banshee Towers," he began.

"A boat in a _picture_!" said the Inspector, astonished.

"Yes, sir. You see, we thought we'd make a few expeditions these holidays, and that was one of them - to Banshee Towers to see the lovely sea-pictures there," went on Fatty.

"It was Ern and I who _really_ wanted to go," said Bets.

"So we all went up on our bikes, and paid a shilling to go in. We had a look round - the pictures were grand," said Fatty, "and Ern here stood for ages in front of a very big one..."